Endangered Marine Species – Shadow Box

Why is it important for the students to know about this?

– They make their own research about endangered marine species – what are the threats? They know about human activities and their impact.
– They know how to draw a shape without many details so that it is still recognizable: using small means to express something complex
– They know what is a simple closed circuit and they construct one, with one LED, one battery, conductive tape, and a switch system.
– They make an art object that they can keep, show and share.

The beautiful black boxes are from RAFT San Jose! (the lid of the boxes have been laser cut to create a nice window)

Village Elementary School, 2nd grade, Campbell, CA, Spring 2016.
Montalvo Arts Center / Teaching Artists Program / 10 session project.

The students choose an endangered species and research about it, taking notes of the threat(s). Then they draw its shape from documentation.

Some students experience with the shape of the animal until they get the shape they want.

The student apply glue on the inside of the lid of the boxes (the lids have been laser cut so that now they have a nice window!).

The student glue the shape of their animal on a piece of velum

And glue the velum inside the window.

Here’s a nice collection of boxes!

This is the second classroom’s collection.

Now to the circuitry part! The students learn about simple closed and open circuits. We watched a video. They experience with folding the conductive tape to make their circuit.